PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Lithe Tarzan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bradley Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnson has chosen Can't Hold Us as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Tarzan
vs
Johnson

185 cm
26
169 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

175 cm
23
160 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Basic striking
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Nutrition Your Way!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Lithe Tarzan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Bradley Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Igor Prikhodko and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tarzan shoots in for a takedown but Johnson shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Tarzan takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

It looks like Lithe Tarzan has been cut.
Johnson fails to land with a series of punches.
Johnson leaves Tarzan with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Johnson slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Johnson uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Tarzan slips under a jab.
Johnson throws a body punch but Tarzan moves out of range.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Johnson throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Tarzan fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Johnson to the ground. Tarzan is now in Johnson's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tarzan passes Johnson's left leg - he's now in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tarzan wants to pass to mount but Johnson is defending the position.
Tarzan throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Tarzan is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Johnson defends it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson is looking to escape.
Tarzan wants to lay and pray for a moment but Johnson keeps working.
Johnson is trying to stand up here but Tarzan is controlling him well.
Johnson is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Johnson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Tarzan seems to be looking for submissions.
Johnson avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Tarzan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson trying to control here.

Tarzan looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Tarzan prevents Johnson from standing back up.

Tarzan seems to be looking for submissions.
Tarzan not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tarzan throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Tarzan throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Tarzan not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Tarzan not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Tarzan trying to control the action but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Tarzan lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Tarzan thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Tarzan throwing shots but Johnson is blocking nicely.

Johnson is defending against the submission attempts here by Tarzan.
Tarzan not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Tarzan has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson wants to improve his position but Tarzan is controlling well.
Tarzan misses with a head shot. Johnson uses the momentum to regain guard.
Tarzan trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Johnson wants to get back to his feet but Tarzan is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Lithe Tarzan will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Lithe Tarzan's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Johnson scores with a sloppy right hand. Tarzan should have avoided that one.
Johnson connects with a right hand. Tarzan shakes it off.

Tarzan closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Tarzan is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Johnson has escaped the position, nice work there.

Tarzan is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Johnson is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Tarzan wants to control but Johnson is keeping him busy.
Tarzan lands some shots froms side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tarzan scores with punches from side control.
Tarzan misses with the ground and pound.
Johnson defending against the ground and pound.

Johnson throws Tarzan to one side and escapes!
Bradley Johnson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tarzan gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Johnson counters with a nice body shot.
Johnson fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Tarzan shoots for a double leg takedown but Johnson sprawls well. He's pushed Tarzan's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Tarzan uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Johnson.
Johnson lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Bradley Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tarzan moves away from the strike by Johnson.
Tarzan takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
A punch combination from Johnson misses.
Tarzan uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Johnson.
Nice takedown defense from Johnson. No joy for Tarzan on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lithe Tarzan. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tarzan moves out of range of the strikes.
Johnson scores with a body shot.
Bradley Johnson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Johnson misses with an uppercut. Tarzan saw that one coming.
The fighters circling - Johnson throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Tarzan showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Johnson.
Johnson rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Tarzan decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Johnson's guard.
Tarzan trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Johnson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Tarzan slips nicely into half guard.
Tarzan trying to control the action but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Johnson blocking the ground and pound attempt from Tarzan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnson is defending against the submission attempts here by Tarzan.
Johnson wants to get back to his feet.
Johnson taking some punishment here, with Tarzan in his half guard.
Johnson trying to control here.
Tarzan not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tarzan stops Johnson from getting back to his feet.
Tarzan throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Tarzan misses with a head shot. Johnson uses the momentum to regain guard.
Tarzan pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Johnson is keeping the position for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Tarzan accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Tarzan postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lithe Tarzan dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Lithe Tarzan's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Johnson misses with a jab, cross combination.
Johnson lands a slapping body shot.
Tarzan takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

Tarzan looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Johnson!
Johnson is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Johnson is trying to get back to half guard.
Tarzan in side control, throwing shots but Johnson defends.
Tarzan in side control lands a decent elbow.
Johnson avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Tarzan.
Tarzan misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tarzan working the head and body with strikes.
Tarzan scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Johnson to see if he's OK.
Tarzan trying to control the action but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Tarzan cracks Johnson with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Tarzan throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Tarzan throws an elbow but Johnson slips to the side and avoids it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The ground and pound from Tarzan seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
The strikes coming from Tarzan are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Johnson tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Tarzan wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Tarzan is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Johnson is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Johnson is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Tarzan wants to control but Johnson is keeping him busy.
Johnson taking a bit of punishment here - Tarzan scoring with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes there by Tarzan.
A lull in the action here as Tarzan stalls from top position.
Tarzan working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Tarzan in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Tarzan working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tarzan working the body and head with strikes.
Tarzan working the ground and pound but Johnson is defending the strikes.
Tarzan landing a few strikes.
Tarzan misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

Tarzan tries for a kimura but Johnson is defending well.
Johnson dodges the ground and pound from Tarzan.
Lithe Tarzan is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tarzan creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Johnson sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tarzan controls the position from side control.
Bradley Johnson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tarzan cracks Johnson with a big right hand but Johnson just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lithe Tarzan showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Tarzan, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lithe Tarzan!
Lithe Tarzan bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.